Nell Tangeman (21 December 1914 – 15 February 1965) was an American mezzo-soprano.

Life and career

Tangeman was born in Columbus, Ohio. After earning a degree in violin performance from Ohio State University, she pursued vocal studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She studied with Friedrich Schorr, Margaret Matzenaur, and Nadia Boulanger. In 1946, she made her New York debut singing the role of Jocasta in Igor Stravinsky's Oedipus rex with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Leonard Bernstein.[1] In 1947, she sang the New York premiere of Aaron Copland's In the Beginning with the Collegiate Chorale and conductor Robert Shaw.[2]

In 1951, Tangeman created the role of Mother Goose in the world premiere of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress at La Fenice in Venice.[3] The following year, she performed the role of Dinah in the world premiere of Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti at Berstein's Festival of the Creative Arts on the campus of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, to an audience of nearly 3,000 people.[4] In 1955, she performed the role of Teresa in the American Opera Society's production of Vincenzo Bellini's La sonnambula at Carnegie Hall.[5] As a recitalist, she championed new works by American composers, most notably Ned Rorem, who wrote several works with her voice in mind.

She died in Washington, D.C., aged fifty, of unknown causes.[6] She made one recording during her career, performing Arnold Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder with conductor Rene Leibowitz in 1951.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Bernstein Plays Stravinsky Work". The New York Times. November 26, 1946.
  2. ^ Howard Taubman (May 20, 1947). "Shaw and Chorale Give 2 New Works; ' Apparebit,' by Hindemith, and 'In the Beginning,' by Copland, Offered First Time Here". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Howard Taubman (September 23, 1951). "'RAKE'S PROGRESS' CREATES FUROR; New Opera by Stravinsky Has Its Premiere Amid Great Excitement Master". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Howard Taubman (June 14, 1952). "Bernstein Opera Has Its Premiere". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Howard Taubman (January 26, 1955). "Opera: 'La Sonnambula'; Laurel Hurley Praised -- Gamson Conducts". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Victoria Etnier Villamil (2004). From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age. Northeastern University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9781555536350.
  7. ^ Ned Rorem (2002). Lies: A Diary 1986-1999. Da Capo Press. p. 37. ISBN 0306811065.
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